Kaleb Purdy makes it official, commits to Kansas

Kaleb Purdy picked up early offers from schools in the Big 12, SEC, and Big 10 but in the end, he wanted to play at a place where something is being built from the ground floor.

On Friday Purdy announced he gave a verbal commitment to the Kansas coaching staff.

He said one of the key factors was going to a program that is trying to build something new under Lance Leipold.

“What led me to pick Kansas, I'm going to say, Coach Leipold really was the reason,” Purdy said. “He's a new coach at Kansas and he's trying to change the culture and change it to a winning team. You know what I'm saying? That's big to me, a coach that's trying to change the culture.”

Purdy, who plays at DeSmet picked up early offers from Kansas, Missouri, Kansas State, Michigan, and Iowa State.

Special teams coordinator Jake Schoonover started recruiting Purdy the day he was hired at Kansas after the late signing period.

“I've been in contact with Coach Schoonover since February,” Purdy said. “Coach Schoonover's like a big brother to me. I talk with him every other day and that's big. He really wants me at KU.

“Nobody else called me like Coach Schoonover. And it felt special. It felt real. They really wanted me. It wasn't fake love, and they really want me at KU. Coach Schoonover when I was on the visit showed me a lot. Him and Coach Peterson, they both showed me a lot of love, and a lot of game reels. So, it was definitely big.”

Purdy took his official visit to Kansas the last week of June before the dead period started. Being around the coaching staff and players helped him get a closer vision of the program and how they plan to build it.

“Seeing the new coaching staff and them showing me how they're going to change the program around and just being around the players,” Purdy said. “Just seeing that the players really like being around each other, their family vibe, and their brotherhood. So that's what really stood out to me how the players stick around each other, even off the field, more than on the field. So that was definitely great about KU.”

Earlier in the week Purdy informed the coaching staff of his decision, although he did not announce his intentions until Friday. When he told the coaches he was ready to commit, he could hear the excitement in their voice.

“I text Coach Schoonover and told him I wanted to talk on the phone,” Purdy said. “He handed the phone to Coach Leipold, and I told him I'm ready to commit. Coach Leipold was super excited. And then next thing you know, I heard Coach Schoonover in the background, and he was super excited.

“They were having a barbecue before the players left and went on break. Coach Peterson and Coach Borland were super excited. I could hear it in their voices, and they told the players. They said I made a lot of noise at the facilities that day, so it was definitely special to them. And it's special to me, too.”

After official visits to Kansas and Kansas State, and other schools in the mix he wanted to make his college choice. With his high school football season just days away from starting, he does not have to stress about recruiting.

“Man, it just feels good,” he said. “It's a lot of pressure off my back now I can just go into the season and go worry about playing ball. I don't have to worry about what college I'm going to go to or who's still recruiting me. I’ve got a home now with Kansas. That's very special.”

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